Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces Nearly $7.8 Million in American Rescue Plan Funding to Strengthen Regional Vaccination Efforts
Today,
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes,
Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced
$7,787,892 in American Rescue Plan funding to expand access to COVID-19
vaccines in underserved and minority communities across the region.
“While the American Rescue Plan has helped
accelerate the COVID-19 vaccination effort in Maryland, far too many
communities – and especially communities of color – still face significant
barriers. This latest tranche of funding will make targeted investments,
through trusted local messengers, to help reduce disparities in vaccine access
and better protect vulnerable communities from the virus,” the lawmakers
said.
These federal funds for the University of
Maryland, Baltimore comes from the Community-Based Workforce to Increase
COVID-19 Vaccinations in Underserved Communities program at the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assist with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout
in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Through the program, new
workers will be hired to assist with transportation, build vaccine confidence
through educational resources and outreach initiatives and strengthen
inoculation efforts in high-risk and minority communities.
The lawmakers previously announced
more than $68 million in American Rescue Plan funding to bolster Maryland’s
COVID-19 response and vaccine rollout.